How to prepare for corporate portrait photography?
Updated: 2 days ago
A good corporate portrait helps people put a face to your business. It can make your website feel more personal, introduce your team and give clients a clear first impression. Choosing a photographer is an important part of getting it right, but a little preparation on your side makes a difference too.
Preparing for your session usually raises a few questions: what should you wear, how should you style your hair, and do you need make-up? If you have booked corporate portrait photography, here is what I recommend thinking about before the day.
The questions below come up regularly when we arrange a shoot. We will talk through the details beforehand, but this checklist will help you get ready without leaving everything until the morning of your appointment. Take the advice that applies to you; you do not need to adopt a completely new look for the occasion.
Before your corporate portrait session
Get some rest. If you can avoid it, do not schedule the team portraits for the morning after the company party. Make-up can help with a few things, but it cannot give everyone an extra night's sleep. You are also more likely to feel comfortable and patient when you are well rested.
Bring a couple of outfit options. Clean, freshly pressed clothes make a good starting point, and I can help you choose between the pieces you bring. For a company photoshoot, a slightly smarter version of your usual work outfit often works well. Branded clothing can be useful if it is part of the company's visual identity, while simple, neutral pieces are a flexible alternative.
Agree the dress code with whoever approves the photographs before the session. Finding out that the team should have worn something different after sixty portraits have been taken is a conversation everyone would rather avoid. Transport shirts and jackets carefully so that your ironing survives the journey.
What I usually recommend wearing
For men, a white shirt with a dark jacket is a reliable starting point. A tie is optional and depends on how formal the portraits need to be.
For women, a white shirt or blouse with a dark blazer works well. A simple top or fitted knit can also be suitable if it fits the company's style.
Decide how you will handle make-up. You can do your own if you are comfortable with it, or arrange it through someone at your company. We can also provide a professional make-up artist before the session. The aim is a polished, natural result that works well on camera. Make-up is not included in the photography package price, so please ask about it separately when we plan the shoot. If you are doing it yourself, our article “How to apply make-up before a corporate photo shoot” covers the subject in more detail.
Keep nail colour understated. Neutral or nude shades are usually a good choice when the focus should stay on your face. Very bright colours can draw attention to your hands, particularly in wider portraits.
Choose a hairstyle you know and like. Come to your photo shoot with clean, neatly styled hair and bring a comb or brush for quick adjustments. Think of the preparation you would make for an important work meeting. The morning of your portrait session is probably not the ideal moment to discover whether an entirely new hairstyle suits you.
Check your hair colour beforehand. If you colour your hair and visible roots would bother you in the photographs, arrange any touch-up in advance rather than leaving it until the last minute.
Avoid last-minute tanning experiments. Stick to a look you know. A new self-tanner or a tanning session just before the shoot can leave you with an unexpected colour or uneven result, which is an unnecessary distraction on the day.
Allow time for a haircut. For men, I generally suggest visiting the barber or hairdresser a day or two before the session, so the hair and beard look tidy. Your portrait may stay on the company website or your LinkedIn profile for quite a while, so a little advance planning is worthwhile.
Keep your usual approach to facial hair. If you normally come to work clean-shaven, do the same for the photographs. If a beard or stubble is part of your everyday look, keep it and tidy it up. You should be recognisable to the people who meet you; a portrait session does not require a surprise reinvention.
Remember your hands. Clean, well-groomed hands and tidy nails matter, especially for wider business portraits and workplace photographs where they are likely to be visible.
Aim for your best everyday self. You do not need to spend days preparing. A little care with your clothes, hair and grooming is usually enough. The goal is to arrive ready for the photographs, without feeling as though you are wearing someone else's outfit or personality.
One more thing: you do not have to know how to pose
If you are nervous, or you would normally do almost anything to avoid having your photograph taken, you are in very familiar company. You do not need to apologise for it.
I have written more about that here:
Helping you feel comfortable is part of my job. I will show you how to stand, where to put your hands and how to turn towards the camera. You are not expected to arrive with a collection of professional poses memorised.
There will probably be a few jokes along the way, too. After three or four hours, you might argue that I should retire some of them, but I find a relaxed conversation does far more for a portrait than repeatedly telling someone to smile. 😄
So bring your outfit options, ask anything you are unsure about and let me guide you through the rest. A corporate portrait session often feels much less intimidating once we get started.
